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Hercules
Hercules is a 1997 American animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 35th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film is loosely based on the legendary hero Heracles (known in the film by his Roman name, Hercules), the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology. Development of Hercules began in 1992 following a pitch adaptation of the Heracles mythological stories by animator Joe Haidar. Meanwhile, Ron Clements and John Musker re-developed their idea for Treasure Planet following the critical and commercial success of Aladdin. Their project was removed from development in 1993, and Musker and Clements joined Hercules later that same year. Following an unused treatment by Haidar, Clements and Musker studied multiple interpretations of Greek mythology before abandoning Zeus's adulterous affair with Alcmene. The project underwent multiple story treatments and a first script draft being inspired by the screwball comedy films of the classic Hollywood era and popular culture of the 1990s before Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw and Irene Cecchi were brought on-board to shorten the script and deliver additional humor. British cartoonist Gerald Scarfe was recruited as production designer where over seven hundred visualization designs of the characters were produced, and research trips to Greece and Turkey provided inspiration for the background designs. Animation for the film was done in California and Paris. Computer animation was utilized in several scenes, predominantly in the Hydra battle sequence. Hercules was released on June 27, 1997 to positive reviews from film reviewers who praised James Woods's portrayal of Hades. Despite the positive critical reception, the film under-performed in its theatrical release notably in comparison to its predecessors before ultimately earning 252.7 million dollars in box office revenue worldwide. Hercules was later followed by the direct-to-video prequel Hercules: Zero to Hero, which served as the pilot to Hercules: The Animated Series, a syndicated Disney TV series focusing on Hercules during his time at the Prometheus academy. Plot After imprisoning the Titans beneath the ocean, the Greek gods gather to Mount Olympus for Zeus and his wife Hera have a son named Hercules. While the other gods are joyful, Zeus' jealous brother Hades plots to overthrow Zeus and rule Mount Olympus. Turning to the Fates for help, Hades learns that in eighteen years, a planetary alignment will allow Hades to locate and free the Titans to conquer Olympus, but only if Hercules does not interfere. Hades sends his minions Pain and Panic to dispose of Hercules. The two succeed at kidnapping and feeding him a formula that turns him mortal, but fail to remove his superhuman strength before Hercules is found and adopted by the farmers Amphitryon and Alcmene. Years later, the teenage Hercules becomes an outcast due to his strength, and wonders where he came from. After his foster parents reveal the necklace they found him with, Hercules decides to visit the temple of Zeus for answers. The temple's statue of Zeus comes to life and reveals all to Hercules, telling him that he can regain his godhood by becoming a true hero. Zeus sends Hercules and his forgotten infant-hood friend Pegasus to find the satyr Philoctetes - Phil for short - who is known for training heroes. The two meet Phil, who has retired from training heroes due to numerous disappointments, but Hercules inspires him to follow his dream to train a true hero who will be recognized by the gods. Phil trains Hercules into a potential hero, and when he is older, they fly for Thebes. On the way, they meet Megara - Meg for short - a sarcastic damsel whom Hercules saves from the centaur Nessus. However, after Hercules, Phil and Pegasus leave, Meg is revealed to be Hades' minion, having sold her soul to him to save an unfaithful lover. Arriving in Thebes, Hercules is turned down by the downtrodden citizens until Meg says that two boys are trapped in a gorge. Hercules saves them unaware that they are Pain and Panic in disguise, allowing Hades to summon the Hydra to fight Hercules. Hercules continually cuts off its heads, but more heads replace them until Hercules kills the monster by causing a landslide. Hercules is seen as a hero and a celebrity, but Zeus tells Hercules he is not yet a true hero. Driven to depression, Hercules turns to Meg, who is falling in love with him. Hades learns of this and on the eve of his takeover, offers a deal that Hercules gives up his powers for twenty-four hours on the condition that Meg will be unharmed. Hercules accepts, losing his strength, and is heartbroken when Hades reveals that Meg is working for him. Hades unleashes the Titans who climb Olympus and capture the gods, while a Cyclops goes to Thebes to kill Hercules. Phil inspires Hercules to fight and kill the cyclops, but Meg is crushed by a falling pillar saving Hercules from it, allowing him to regain his strength. Hercules and Pegasus fly to Olympus where they free the gods and launch the Titans into space where they explode, though Meg dies before he returns to her. With Meg's soul now Hades' property, Hercules breaks into the Underworld where he negotiates with Hades to free Meg from the Styx in exchange for his own life. His willingness to sacrifice his life restores his godhood and immortality before the life-draining river can kill him; he rescues Meg and punches Hades into the Styx. After reviving meg, she and Hercules are summoned to Olympus where Zeus and Hera welcome their son home. However, Hercules chooses to remain on Earth with Meg. Hercules returns to Thebes where he is hailed as a true hero as Zeus creates a pictures of Hercules in the stars commemorating his heroism. Cast * Tate Donovan as Hercules * Josh Keaton as Young Hercules (sung by Roger Bart) * Danny DeVito as Philoctetes/Phil * James Woods as Hades * Susan Egan as Megara/Meg * Frank Welker as Pegasus * Rip Torn as Zeus * Samantha Eggar as Hera * Bobcat Goldthwait as Pain * Matt Frewer as Panic * Patrick Pinney as the Cyclops and Lythos at left head * Hal Holbrook as Amphitryon * Barbara Barrie as Alcmene * Amanda Plummer as Clotho * Carole Shelley as Lachesis * Paddi Edwards as Atropos * Paul Shaffer as Hermes * Jim Cummings as Nessus, Tall Thebian, Eldery Thebian, Lava Titan * Wayne Knight as Demetrius * Keith David as Apollo * Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas as the Muses (Calliope, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia and Clio respectively) * Charlton Heston as The Narrator. * Additional voices: Tawatha Agee, Jack Angel - Builder #2, Shelton Becton, Bob Bergen - Baby Hercules, Thebian Man, Mary Kay Bergman - Earthquake Lady, Wood Nymph, Water Nymph, Earth Nymph, Teenage Girls, Rodger Bumpass - Man pointing at Young Hercules, Corey Burton - Burnt Man, End-of-the World Man, Tour Bus Guide, Wind Titan, Lythos at right head, Jennifer Darling - Woman pointing at Young Hercules, Debi Derryberry - Greece Woman, Bill Farmer - Builder #1, Kathleen Freeman - Heavyset Woman, Milt Grayson, Bug Hall - Little Boy, Kellen Hathaway - Little Boy, Sherry Lynn - Thebian Woman, Mickie McGowan - Fat Party Lady, Aaron Michael Metchik - Ithicles, Denise Pickering, Phil Proctor - Boat Captain, Snowball the Cat, Jan Rabson - Driver, Riley Steiner, Fronzi Thornton, Erik von Detten - Boy #1 & Ken Williams Songs * The Gospel Truth I (performed by Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas) * The Gospel Truth II (performed by Roz Ryan) * The Gospel Truth III (performed by Cheryl Freeman) * Go the Distance (performed by Roger Bart) * One Last Hope (performed by Danny DeVito) * Zero to Hero (performed by Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas) * I Won't Say I'm in Love (performed by Susan Egan, Lillias White, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, Roz Ryan and Vanéese Y. Thomas) * A Star is Born * Go the Distance (end credits) (performed by Michael Bolton) Differences between the film and the mythology * One of the biggest differences between the film and the mythology is that Hercules in the film is born to an immortal god, but loses his immortality later when Hades' henchmen gives him a drink who removes this. However, according to mythology, Hercules is born as a mortal god to begin with and acquire immortality later. * In the film, Hercules are the son of Zeus and his wife Hera. However, according to mythology, Zeus received Hercules together with Alcmene, Amphytrion's wife. Hera, who disagreed with the love affair between Zeus and Alcmene, is an enemy of Hercules, according to the mythology. Some claim that she sent two snakes to kill the eight-month-old Hercules. However, the two snakes who attack the infant Hercules in the film, are two demons in disguise sent by Hades. * Megara is the woman who Hercules is in love with. In the film, she sold her soul to Hades to save her boyfriend, who then left her for another woman. Later in the film, Megara rescues Hercules' life from a rolling column after losing his god's power. According to mythology, Hercules gets married to Megara, who is then the daughter of the Roman Reign Kreon. According to some versions, Hera drove Hercules to madness, which then murdered his wife Megara and his children. According to other versions, she remarried Iolaus, Hercules' coachman, after Hercules completed his tests. According to mythology, she didn't sell her soul to Hades, who by the way didn't buy any, and never saved Hercules' life. * In the film, Hades is an evil god who plans to revolt against Olympos. According to mythology, however, he is the ruler of the underground, simply part of the natural order and not necessarily evil. Many mortals, who feared death, regarded him as a devout god. * I the film, when Hercules meets his trainer Philoctetes, Philoctetes mentions that he had previously trained Akilles. The legend of Acilles, however, spells out after Hercules time, according to Greek mythology, and in addition, Philoctetes never practiced Hercules because he was only a child when Hercules died. * At the end of the film, when Hercules is allowed to unite with his parents in Olympos he chooses instead to live on earth together with Megara as mortal. However, according to mythology, Hercules dies as a result of poisoning. After being burned on fire, he receives immortality, and after being reconciled with Hera, he marries her daughter Hebe with whom he receives children on Olympos as immortal. International releases For information about international dubs and releases, Hercules/International.Category:1997 films Category:1990s American animated films Category:American musical films Category:Films produced by Alice Dewey Category:Films produced by John Musker Category:Films produced by Ron Clements Category:Films directed by John Musker Category:Films directed by Ron Clements Category:Film scores by Alan Menken Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios films Category:Walt Disney Pictures Category:Walt Disney Feature Animation